Centrifugal type fan mounting arrangements



Aug. 28, 1956 w. F. BORGERD 2,760,713

CENTRI-FUGAL TYPE FAN MOUNTING ARRANGEMENTS Original Filed April- 20. 1955 3oc 2s ao as as ea i "T I 9| 33 U 94 p 9e \va N J FIG. I 95 30a Q -H 92-: 40-? FIG. 2 p q INVENTOR.

WILLIAM F. BORGERD ATTORNEY CENTRIFUGAL TYPE FAN MOUNTING ARRANGEMENTS William F. Borgerd, Evansville, Ind., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Whirlpool-Seeger Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Original application April 20, 1953, Serial No. 349,594. Divided and this application September 29,, .1954, Serial No. 459,047

10 Claims. (Cl. 230- 117) This invention relates specifically to centrifugal or blower-type fan mounting means, and is a division of the co-pending application Serial No. 349,594, filed April 20, 1953.

It is the object of this invention to provide a novel' mounting arrangement for a blower-type fan, whereby the blower-type fan may be easily mounted within a heat pump or other type of air conditioning .cabinet, with the result that the blower-type fan will be compactly mounted for efficient and quiet operation.

Other objects and features of the present invention will be apparent upon a perusal of the following specification and drawings of which:

Figure 1 is a front plan view of a portion of a heat pump cabinet with the front panel removed and embodying the present invention; and

Figure 2 is a side plan view of the arrangement shown in Figure 1 with the side panel .of the cabinet removed.

The present embodiment .is the preferred embodiment but it is to be understood that changes can be made in the present embodiment .by one skilled in the :art without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

For a detailed description of the invention reference is made to the drawing. The cabinet comprises a frame 30 formed of channel members welded or fastened together by any suitable means. Panels are mounted over the frame 30 to relatively seal the cabinet against the leakage of any air therethrough. Only three panels are shown, specifically, 30a on the rear of the cabinet, 30b on one side of the cabinet and .300 on the top of the frame 30. An opening (not shown) is provided through the rear panel 39a for the ingress of air to the cabinet. The top panel 300 is provided with an opening therethrough for the egress of air from the cabinet. A boot or air conditioning duct 25 may be mounted over the opening in the top of panel 300.

The fan housing is designated with the numeral 80 and is of the blower or centrifugal type, well known in the art, wherein air is drawn into each side 81 of the fan housing 81) and into the fan rotor 83, and out of the top 82 of the fan housing 80. The fan rotor 83 is rigidly mounted on a shaft 84. A pulley 85 is also rigidly mounted on the shaft 84 at one end thereof, whereby a rotation of the pulley .85 causes an operation of the fan. The shaft 84, including the fan rotor 83 and the fan pulley 85 is rotatively mounted to an assembly which will minimize any vibrations of the fan. The fan housing 80 is fixedly mounted to a portion of this assembly.

This assembly comprises two bearings 86 through which the shaft 83 is journalled, and the frame of the assembly which is generally indicated with the numeral 87. The frame 87 comprises three U-shaped supporting elements 88. The ends of each of the U-shaped elements 88 are rigidly attached to the bearing 86 and are positioned at various angles to each other as can be seen in Figure 2. Braces 89 mounted between the U-shaped elements 88 maintain these elements in their angular arrangement. A pair of legs 90 are rigidly attached to denited States Patent 2 ,760,718 Patented Aug. 28,, 1956 pend from one of the U-shaped elements 88. A second pair of legs '91 are rigidly attached to depend from the rearwardly positioned U-shaped element '88 as canbe seen in Figure 2. Each of the legs of the pairs of legs 90 and 9'1 are mounted upon a shock absorber '92, such as blocks of rubber which are in turn mounted by means of mounting means 41 to the frame members 40 .of the frame 30 'of the cabinet. I

The fan housing is provided with two pairs of brackets 1'60 mounted on each side thereof. 'Onebrac'ket of each pair is resiliently mounted to the forwardly posi tioned element '88, and the other bracket of each pair is resiliently mounted to the rearwardly positioned element 88 The fan further comprises a motor 93. A bracket 94 is provided for mounting of the motor '93. One end of the bracket 94 is rigidly attached to the top of the motor 93 as can be seen in Figure "2. The other end of the bracket 94 is formed to include a bearing and is positioned about the center one of the three 'U-shaped elements 88 as can be seen in Figure 2. Thus the motor 93 is pivotally mounted about the center one of the three Ushaped elements 88. Further, a pulley 95 is mounted to the end of the armature shaft of the motor 93. A fan belt 96 is positioned over the pulleys of the fan rotor 83 and of the motor 93. The bracket 94 and the fan belt 96 will then maintain the motor 93 properly positioned, and the weight of the motor 93 through the fan pulley 95 will maintain proper tension upon the fan belt 96. If it is found that the weight of the motor is too great, a coiled spring can be connected between point 97 on the bracket 94 and point 98 on the rearward U.-shaped element 88 to reduce the weight of the motor 93 bearing upon the fan belt 96. Since the fan housing 80, the 'fan rotor 83, the fan motor 93 and the shafts and pulleys therefor are completely supported by the assembly 87, the shock absorbers or cushions 92 will prevent any vibrations of the motor 93 or the fan rotor 83 from being-transmitted to the cabinet.

Having described the invention what is considered new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is:

1. In an air-conditioning system, a centrifugal fan comprising a housing mounted in said system, a rotor, a shaft, said rotor rigidly mounted upon said shaft, a pulley, said pulley rigidly mounted upon one end of said shaft, means for supporting said shaft in cooperation with said housing, said means comprising a pair of bearings, each of said bearings mounted about said shaft approximately at the opposite ends thereof, a plurality of elements, each of said plurality of elements rigidly attached to said bearings to support said bearings, a plurality of legs mounted to each of said plurality of elements, resilient damper elements mounted to each of said legs, said resilient damper elements mounted in said system so that the said rotor of said fan is rotatively mounted in said housing with a max imum support and a minimum of vibration, a motor for the operation of said fan, a pulley mounted on the armature shaft of said motor, a bracket, one end of said bracket rigidly attached to the body of said motor, the other end of said bracket formed as a bearing and positioned about one of said plurality of elements, whereby said motor is pivotally mounted thereabout, a fan belt, said fan belt mounted about said pulleys whereby said motor presses against said fan belt to maintain a tension on said fanbelt dependent upon the weight of said motor and whereby said motor is mounted within said system with a maximum of support and a minimum of vibration.

2. In an air-conditioning system, a centrifugal fan comprising a housing mounted in said system, a rotor, a shaft, said rotor rigidly mounted upon said shaft, a pul-" ley, said pulley rigidly mounted upon one end of said shaft, means for supporting said shaft in cooperation withsaid housing, said means comprising a pair of bearings,

each of said bearings mounted about said shaft approxi-' mately at the opposite ends thereof, three U-shaped elements, the legs of each of said U-shaped elements rigidlyattached to said bearings so that said U-shaped elements are angularly disposed to each other, a plurality of legs mounted to each of the two of said U-shaped elements which are disposed at the widest angle to each other, resilient damper elements mounted to each of said legs, said resilient damper elements mounted in said system'so that the said rotor of said fan is rotatively mounted in said housing with a maximum of support and a minimum of vibration, a motor for the operation of said fan, 'a pulley mounted upon the armature shaft of said motor, a bracket, one end of said bracket attached to the body of 'saidmotor, the other end of said bracket formed asa'bearing and positioned about the middle one of said .U-shaped elements, whereby said motor is pivotally mounted about said U-shaped element, a fan belt, said fan belt mounted about said pulleys, whereby said motor presses against said fan belt to maintain a tension upon said fan belt dependent upon the weight of said motor and whereby said motor is mounted within said system with a maximum of support and a minimum of vibration.

3. In an air-conditioning system, a centrifugal fan comprising a housing mounted in said system, a rotor, a shaft, said rotor rigidly mounted upon said shaft, a pulley, said pulley rigidly mounted upon one end of said shaft, means for supporting said shaft in cooperation with said housing, said means comprising a pair of bearings, each of said bearings mounted about said shaft approximately at the opposite ends thereof, a plurality of U-shaped elements, the legs of each of said U-shaped elements rigidly attached to said bearings so that said U-shaped elements are angularly disposed to each other, a pair of legs mounted to each of the two of said U-shaped elements which are disposed at the widest angle to each other, resilient damper elements mounted to each of said legs, said resilient damper elements mounted in said system so that the said rotor of said fan is rotatively mounted in said housing with a maximum of support and a minimum of vibration, a motor for the operation of said fan, a pulley mounted upon the armature shaft of said motor, a bracket, one end of said bracket rigidly attached to the body of said motor, the other end of said bracket formed as a bearing and positioned about one of said U-shaped elements, whereby said motor is pivotally mounted thereabout, a fan belt, said fan belt mounted about said pulleys, whereby said motor presses against said fan belt to maintain a tension upon said fan belt dependent upon the weight of said motor and whereby said motor is mounted within said system with a maximum of support and a minimum of vibration.

4. In an air-conditioning system, a centrifugal fan comprising a housing mounted in said system, a rotor, a shaft, said rotor rigidly mounted upon said shaft, a pulley, said pulley rigidly mounted upon one end of said shaft, means for supporting said shaft in cooperation with said housing, and means comprising a pair of bearings, each of said bearings mounted about said shaft approximately at the opposite ends thereof, three U-shaped elements, the legs of each of said U-shaped elements rigidly attached to said bearings so that said U-shaped elements are angularly disposed to each other, apair of depending legs mounted to the underside of each of the two of said U-shaped elements which are disposed at the widest angle to each other, resilient damper elements mounted to the bottom of each of said legs, said resilient damper elements mounted in said system so that the said rotor of said fan is rotatively mounted in said housing with a maximum of support and a minimum of vibration, a motor for the operation of said fan, a pulley mounted upon the armature shaft of said motor, a bracket, one end of said bracket rigidly attached to the body of said motor, the other end of said bracket formed as a hearing i 4 and positioned about the middle one of said three U-shaped elements, whereby said motor is pivotally mounted about said U-shaped element, a fan belt, said fan belt mounted about said pulleys, whereby said motor.

presses against said fan belt to maintain a tension upon said fan belt dependent upon the weight of said motor and whereby said motor is mounted within said system with a maximum of support and a minimum of vibration.

5. In an air-conditioning system having a cabinet, and having a centrifugal fan comprising a housing and a rotor, means for mountin'g said fan in said cabinet with a maximum of support and a minimum of vibration,'said means comprising a pair of'bearings, a shaft rotatively mounted within said bearings, said rotor rigidly mountable upon said shaft, a pair of U-shaped elements, the legs of said U-shaped elements being arranged with one leg of each element rigidly attached to each of said bear ings and depending therefrom in an angularly disposed relationship to each other, said legs of each of'said U-shaped elements disposed at a distance from each other greater than the width of said centrifugal fan housing, means for resiliently mounting said housing to said U-shaped elements, a pair of depending legs mounted to the underside of each of said U-shaped elements, resilient cushioning elements mounted to the bottom of 'each ofsaid depending legs, said cushioning elements mountable in said cabinet.

6. In an air-conditioning system having a cabinet, and

having a centrifugal fan comprising a housing, a a rotor and motor for said rotor, means for mounting said housing, said rotor and said motor in said cabinet with a maximum of support and a minimum of vibration, said means comprising a pair of bearings, a shaft rotatively mounted within said bearings, said rotor rigidly mountableupon said shaft, three U-shaped elements, the legs of each of said U-shaped elements, rigidly attached to said bearings to depend therefrom in an angularly disposed relationship to each other, said legs of said U-shaped elements disposed atta distancefrom each other greater than the width of said centrifugal fan housing, means for resiliently mounting said housing to the two of said U-shaped elements which are disposed at the widest angle to each other, a pair of depending legs mounted to the underside of said two-of said U-shaped elements which are disposed at the widest angle to each other, resilient cushioning elements mounted to the bottom of each of said depending legs,'said cushioning elements mountable in said cabinet, a pulley fixedly mounted upon one end of said shaft, a second pulley mountable upon the armature shaft of said motor, a bracket, one end of said bracket rigidly attachable to the body of said motor, the other end of said bracket formed as a bearing and positioned about the middle one of said three U-shaped elements, whereby said motor is pivotally mountable about said middle U-shaped element, a fan belt, said fan belt mountable about said pulleys, whereby said motor is rotatable about said middle U-shaped element to press against said fan belt to maintain a tension upon said fan belt dependent upon the weight of said motor.

7. In an air-conditioning apparatus having a cabinet, centrifugal fan housing and rotor vmounting means for said cabinet comprising a shaft upon which the rotor of said centrifugal fan is mounted, a pair of bearings pivotally mounted about said shaft on opposite sides of said rotor, two U-shaped elements each of which comprises a pair of legs and a cross-piece, the legs of each U-shaped element being arranged with one leg of each element rigidly mounted to each of said bearings to support said bearings in a spaced-apart relationship axially of said shaft, said 'U-shaped elements relatively positioned so that the planes of said U-shaped. elements are downwardly angularly disposed to each other, means resiliently mounting said housing on said crossapieces, a pair of resilient damper elements mounted to depend from said cross-piece of each of said U-shaped elements, said resilient damper elements mountable in said cabinet so that said housing and said rotor are mountable within said housing with a maximum of support and a minimum of vibration.

8. In an air-conditioning apparatus having a cabinet, centrifugal fan housing, rotor and motor mounting means for said cabinet, comprising a shaft upon which the rotor of said centrifugal fan is mounted, a pair of bearings pivotally mounted about said shaft on opposite sides of said rotor, three U-shaped elements each of which com-- prises a pair of legs and a cross-piece, the legs of each of said U-shaped elements rigidly mounted to said bearings to support said bearings in a spaced-apart relationship axially of said shaft, said U-shaped elements relatively positioned so that the planes of said U-shaped elements are downwardly angularly disposed to each other, a strut mounted between the cross-pieces of adjacent ones of said U-shaped elements, means resiliently mounting said housing on the cross-pieces of the two of said U-shaped elements which are disposed at the widest angle to each other to cooperate with said rotor, a pair of resilient damper elements mounted to depend from said cross-pieces of the two of said U-shaped elements which are disposed at the widest angle to each other, said resilient damper elements mountable in said cabinet so that said housing and said rotor are mountable in said cabinet with a maximum of support and a minimum of vibration, a pulley fixedly mounted to one end of said shaft, a motor having a pulley fixedly mounted upon the armature shaft of said motor, a bracket, one end of said bracket rigidly attached to the body of said motor, the other end of said bracket formed as a bearing and positioned about the middle one of said three U-shaped elements, whereby said motor is pivotally mounted about said middle U-shaped element, a fan belt, said fan belt mounted about said pulleys, whereby said motor pivots about said middle one of said three U-shaped elements and presses against said fan belt to maintain a tension upon said fan belt dependent upon the weight of said motor and whereby said motor is mounted within said cabinet with a maximum of support and a minimum of vibration.

9. In an air-conditioning apparatus having a cabinet, a centrifugal fan comprising a housing and a rotor, said housing mountable in said cabinet, a shaft upon which said rotor is fixedly mounted, a pair of bearings mounted about said shaft on opposite sides of said rotor whereby said shaft is rotatable therein, two U-shaped elements each of which comprises a pair of legs and a cross-piece, the legs of said U-shaped element being arranged with one leg of each element rigidly mounted to each of said hearings to support said bearings in a spaced-apart relationship axially of said shaft, said U-shaped elements relatively positioned so that the planes of said U-shaped elements are downwardly angularly disposed to each other, a pair of resilient cushioning elements mounted to depend from said cross-piece from each of said U-shaped elements, said resilient cushioning elements mountable in said cabinet in a spaced'relation to said housing so that said rotor is rotatively mountable within said housing with a maximum of support and a minimum of vibration. 10. In an air-conditioning apparatus having a cabinet, a centrifugal fan comprising a housing and a rotor, an electric motor for said rotor, said housing mountable in said cabinet, a shaft upon which said rotor is fixedly mounted, a pair of bearings mounted about said shaft on opposite sides of said rotor whereby said shaft is rotatable therein, three U-shaped elements each of which comprises a pair of legs and a cross-piece, the legs of each of said U-shaped elements rigidly mounted to said bearings to support said bearings in a spaced-apart relationship axially of said shaft, said U-shaped elements relatively positioned so that the planes of said U-shaped elements are downwardly angularly disposed to each other, a pair of resilient cushioning elements mounted to depend from the two of said U-shaped elements which are disposed at the widest angle to each other, said resilient cushioning element mountable in said cabinet in a spaced relationship to said housing so that said rotor is rotatively mountable within said housing with a maximum of support and a minimum of vibration, a pulley fixedly mounted on one end of said shaft, a second pulley mounted upon the armature shaft of said motor, a bracket, one end of said bracket rigidly attached to the body of said motor, the other end of said bracket formed as a bearing and positioned about the middle one of said three U-shaped elements, whereby said motor is pivotally mounted about said middle U-shaped element, a fan belt, said fan belt mounted about said pulleys, whereby said motor rotates about said U-shaped element and presses against said fan belt to maintain a tension upon said fan belt dependent upon the weight of said motor and whereby said motor is mounted within said cabinet with a maximum of support and a minimum of vibration.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,143,335 Toler Jan. 10, 1939 2,160,980 Morton June 6, 1939 2,631,776 Palmer Mar. 17, 1953 

